February 27, 2013, 5:20PM

White Castle ferry service will turn Thursday, the Department of Transportation and Development said Wednesday. Service had been scheduled to begin in mid-January after crews completed repairs to the ferry’s propeller shaft, however more damage to the vessel’s propulsion system was discovered while crews were testing repairs. The ferry will operate its regular hours from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30... Full story »

February 27, 2013, 5:18PM

The panel that runs Louisiana's Superdome approved spending up to $100,000 on Wednesday for a study of possible enhancements to backup power systems that run escalators, toilets and essential operations during emergencies. Dome manager Doug Thornton says the emergency systems worked during the Super Bowl -- when a problem traced to a utility company's equipment caused a partial power... Full story »

February 27, 2013, 5:11PM

Washington -- Two days till sequester, and Congress and the Obama administration are still no closer to reaching a compromise that could avert the automatic $85 billion in across the board cuts. The positions of both sides are already spelled out, though there were a few nuances over the last few days. President Barack Obama wants to close tax... Full story »

February 27, 2013, 4:50PM

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court's conservative justices voiced deep skepticism Wednesday about a section of a landmark civil rights law that has helped millions of Americans exercise their right to vote. In an ominous note for supporters of the key provision of the Voting Rights Act, Justice Anthony Kennedy both acknowledged the measure's vital role in fighting discrimination and... Full story »

February 27, 2013, 4:15PM

If a five-course meal served by local chefs outdoors at a plantation sounds like a nice way to spend an evening, check out Slow Food Baton Rouge’s third annual “Dinner in the Field” on March 24. Full story »

February 27, 2013, 3:42PM

WASHINGTON - Sen. David Vitter, R-La., Wednesday introduced far-reaching legislation to significantly expand domestic oil and gas development, while increasing revenue sharing for Louisiana and other producing states. But the senator acknowledged that Senate Democratic leaders aren't likely to bring up his bill for a vote. Environmentalists, joined by some congressional Democrats, have objected to previous version's of Vitter's... Full story »

February 27, 2013, 3:08PM

After 13 years of continued dedication and contributions, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, located at 11855 Highland Road, announced its $1.2 million expansion project of the new 2,050-square-foot Imogene Newsom Brown Education Facility. “I’m a bit giddy,” Friend of Hilltop Arboretum President John Murrill said Tuesday. “This is a day and an event that Friends of Hilltop, LSU, the LSU Foundation... Full story »

February 27, 2013, 3:07PM

Louisiana's utilities regulators voted to halt implementation of a statewide energy-efficiency program during a Wednesday meeting in Baton Rouge. While Eric Skrmetta, chairman of the state Public Service Commission, said the vote was necessary to revisit specifics of the plan, environmentalists and commissioners who opposed the vote's outcome were critical of the move. The initiative, first passed at a December... Full story »